MACON, Ga. – The championship games of the 2012 Atlantic Sun Conference Baseball and Softball Championships will receive well-deserved national coverage with an agreement in place to deliver the championship Saturday action for both events on ESPN3.

“Atlantic Sun baseball has a tradition of national excellence, in the national polls and in the NCAA Tournament,” said A-Sun Commissioner Ted Gumbart. “With multiple schools having a national impact in baseball, showcasing our championship contests this way is a great match between the achievement of our student-athletes and ESPN’s multi-screen network, ESPN3.

“A-Sun softball continues to build the same national reputation, as our programs continue to post impact wins, rise in the polls and we expect to have multiple teams competing for postseason opportunities this year; the timing is perfect foradding ESPN3 coverage to A-Sun softball. We are very proud to expand the national schedule for the A-Sun and look forward to continued growth in the strength of our programs and our relationship with ESPN.”

The A-Sun Softball Championship is scheduled for Sat., May 9-12, at USC Upstate in Spartanburg, SC. Action in Saturday’s championship round begins at noon, with the “if necessary” game to follow. All of Saturday’s action will be carried on ESPN3.

The A-Sun’s Baseball Championship is scheduled for May 23-26, at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. The first pitch on championship Saturday is set for 1:00 p.m. ET. ESPN3 will also carry the “if necessary” game should the bracket call for a second game on championship Saturday.

The A-Sun and ESPN teamed up to deliver exclusive basketball content this season on its signature multi-screen sports network ESPN3. A total of 20 live league basketball games were distributed in 2011-12, in addition to all 14 men’s and women’s games in the General Shale Brick A-Sun Basketball Championship. The addition of games on ESPN3 expanded ESPN’s current five-year deal with the Atlantic Sun, which continues through the 2013-14 season.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is an NCAA Division I league with 10 member institutions committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun meets the challenge of maintaining the highest standards in academic and athletic achievement with a true balance between student and athlete. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sunincludes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University. Northern Kentucky becomes the A-Sun’s newest member on July 1, 2012.

About ESPN3

ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a 24/7 destination that delivers thousands of global sports events annually and accessible online via WatchESPN.com. It is currently available to 72 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-basedmilitary personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks. It is also accessible through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app through an affiliated provider.